Currently, a hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle which are driven by a rotary drive power of a motor are used for reducing an impact on an environment. A power device such as a battery, an inverter, a motor, a generator, and the like to which voltage for running a vehicle is applied is mounted on a vehicle driven by a rotary drive power of a motor such as a hybrid vehicle and an electric vehicle. Because a value of an electric current flowing through these power devices is high, cables used for connecting the power devices to each other are thicker than electric wires used for transmitting a signal and supplying electric power to electronic devices. Further, conventionally, various terminal connection structures (for example, see PTL 1) are used for connecting these thick cables to the power devices.
The terminal connection structure described in the PTL 1 includes: a male connector; and a female connector configured to be connected to each other. The male connector includes: a male connector housing; and male terminals respectively connected to coils of a motor as the power device and received in the male connector housing. The male connector housing includes: an outer tubular section as a base; an inner tubular section received in the outer tubular section and fitted to a female connector housing; and a thin flexible coupling piece continued to the outer and inner tubular sections. The female connector includes: a female connector housing; and female terminals received in the female connector housing and configured to be connected to the male terminals.
The terminal connection structure described in the PTL 1 allows the terminals to be connected to each other by elastically deforming the thin coupling piece even if a position of the male connector, namely, the male terminal connected to the coil of the motor is offset upon fitting the female connector to the male connector.